Transfer rumour mill is in full swing

NOT for the first time in recent seasons the Louth CCC may have to rule on a high-profile transfer request this month, as Derek Maguire is rumoured to be seeking a move from Dundalk Young Irelands to county finalists Dreadnots.

The Louth hitman has been Dundalk Young Irelands' leading light for a number of years, but with their star man in Boston this summer the Dundalk outfit got a sneak peak of what life would be like without the speedy attacker, losing their Senior Championship status and narrowly avoiding relegation to Division 3.

If the transfer request is heard - and subsequently sanctioned - it would easily be the most controversial since Niall Sharkey's on-off move to Mattock Rangers from St Mary's a number of years ago.

Dundalk Young Irelands' loss would certainly be Dreadnots' gain, as they would see Maguire as the final piece in the jigsaw for a renewed Joe Ward tilt next summer.

Meanwhile, Louth chiefs will be hoping for a smoother transfer process this year, with the CCC's decisions now to be appealed to the Louth Hearings Committee as opposed to the County Committee, as happened in previous years.

The CCC have not yet set a date for the transfer meeting, but all parties will have three days to appeal any decision to the Hearings Committee.